Terms Used In Idaho Code 7-1201

  • Child support: means a legally enforceable obligation assessed against an individual for the support of a child which shall include medical care, including health insurance premiums for the child, and any amount owing under an order for support during a period in which public assistance was expended. See Idaho Code 7-1202
  • Department: means the department of health and welfare. See Idaho Code 7-1202
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories; and the words "United States" may include the District of Columbia and territories. See Idaho Code 73-114
The legislature of the state of Idaho finds that a significant number of people who are owed child support are not paid in accordance with the terms of their child support orders; that this causes a severe financial hardship upon custodial parents and constitutes a significant detriment to the rearing and support of minor children whom the orders intended to support. Further, P.L. 98-378 requires each state to implement statutorily prescribed procedures to improve the effectiveness of child support enforcement. Although the department of health and welfare does not have the authority to establish support orders administratively, the act as amended in 1988 enables the department to give full faith and credit to all legally enforceable support orders issued by other states. The collection remedies required by federal law are enacted in section 7-1203, Idaho Code.